Golf swing training devices are well known to come in many forms and promote a variety of techniques for improving ones golf swing. The conventional wisdom appears to be that training methods should employ positive feedback. Such positive feedback training methods typically include restraints and guides that are worn by the golfer to restrict his or her motion. Such positive feedback training equipment is typically attached to various parts of the body to teach the body the correct movements.
More specifically, a typical positive feedback training device restrain the golfer's body to maintain the proper position during a golf swing. The golfer may be strapped to the training device and prevented by the restraints from moving out of the proper position. Thus, during a practice swing a golfer is prevented from having an improper stance and incorrect body movement. The restraints are attached either alone or in combination to the head, shoulders, hips and legs.
By way of example, a typical restraint may force a golfer to keep his or her head down during the golf swing. Similarly, hip and shoulder restraints may be fastened around the hips and shoulders, respectively, to limit lateral movement. Leg restraints are also used to assist a golfer in the proper body weight shift during a golf swing.
Another body restraint may use a shoulder blade brace for allowing a natural movement of the body in making the golf swing and at the same time preventing the golfer from moving out of position. However, the golfer does not receive any correction when the restraints are not worn and of course such restraints may not be worn during competition.
Other training devices may incorporate attachments to a golf club for forcing the golfer to swing in a predetermined arc pattern to simulate the kinematics of a proper golf swing. Typically, a golfer practices a golf swing a number of times with the body restraints, the golf club restraints, or both, in an attempt to improve the golf swing. The golfer repeatedly practices the swing using the swing guide until the swing feels comfortable. The golfer then imitates the swing without being constrained in an attempt to simulate the golf swing that was practiced with the assistance of the swing guide.
The positive feedback approach that has been harnessed typical training devices does not provide any correction or feedback after the training device is removed. The golfer simply tries to imitate the same swing without the training device and the golfer will not know if the desired swing is being made. Although some improvement is possible using positive feedback training devices, such positive feedback during the training process is not the most efficient way to improve a golf swing.
In summary, previous attempts or teachings for improving the golf swing have not provided a training system by which the body movements of a proper golf swing are taught to a golfer using negative feedback and in such a manner to allow the golfer to be removed for the training environment and effectively maintain the teaching principles. Specifically, typical apparatus typically use positive feedback and restraints to teach a desired golf swing yet do not allow the golfer to practice a golf swing without the restraints and concurrently provide the kinematics of a proper golf swing.
There is a need for an improved and more efficient method and associated apparatus for the training of a golf swing that will achieve better results without using restraints.